The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Kerrygirl on June 12, 2009, 04:20:17 pm
-
I have referred to this site nearly everyday since my husband and I decided to add pigs, hens & lambs to our already growing brood!! So thank ye all so much for the fantastic advice, it was all needed!
Just a note on ourselves, we are not exactly smallholders as we have a beef cattle farm along with 2 horses, 6 cats, 1 dog and 1 hamster ;D. During the early part of the year we decided to convert one of our 1 acre fields mainly used for the horses into a holding for the pigs, hens & lambs and I must admit we have been loving it ever since they all arrived! My husband works full time whereas I work part time so I am the main boss over the small animals, Im far too soft for the larger ones (even though the horses are really mine, I used to ask Santa for one every year when I was small and my husband one year decided to get me one 4 years ago) but I still do a lot of work with the larger ones and on the land so we are quite busy! Hoping to get my own vegie garden set up next year and maybe a bee hive for some honey so be prepared for all the questions on that ;D
-
Lovely to hear from you and welcome to TAS. You sound like you have a pretty idyllic life there in Ireland.
What pigs do you keep? I know there is a Mangalitza Breeder in Ireland with her very special curly coats.
Looking forward to hearing from you again.
Kate :pig:
-
www.poplarfarmcottage.com, I have bought Indian Runner eggs from (through the post and ebay) and have always had 100% hatching success.
-
We have 2 male castrated GOS - Phil & Humphrey and one female pink commercial pig - Ms Piggy! The 2 GOS have all their teeth and tails where as poor Ms Piggy has her teeth filed and tail docked. We got her through a friend whose 2 GOS died and was looking for replacements. I was interested and asked him to bring us one. She is just fab, the two boys like to give me a quick nip in the back of the legs every now and again whereas she might be trying and I don't feel it or maybe she just does not bother! She has such a different personality to the two boys and seems to enjoy her freedom more or is it just me being too soppy? Enjoying them so much though ;D.
We have 4 RIR, one big white hen, one black bantum, one black and grey speckled hen and one RIR cockrel. Were meant to get them at point of lay but they came much younger, we don't know much about hens but all seem to be getting on great. Looking for eggs for breakfast for the moment and maybe next year might try hatching must learn more about them first before taking that leap :)
Must say life is idyllic except for the weather! Both very busy but its also a lovely way to spend time together.
-
nice to hear from you. It sounds lovely in Ireland.
-
Hi and welcome. Must be nice to have an ex-batt pig!
-
Miss Piggy sounds great, what about a photo? Welcome from me and my few but grwoing numbers of livestock!!!
-
Hello and welcome from Brittany ;D
-
Hello,
I'm in Waterford, well just outside. On ahill, middle of know where - you know the sort of place?! I'm fairly new to this site as well, but it really helps ground you for setting up all the animals etc. I'm learning to 'just do it' and see what happens - it hasn't gone far wrong yet. You are right about the weather though, when I moved here it was a good summer, not had one since, so hoping this year will be different.
-
hiya kerrygirl welcome to the group
Linz
-
Hi Kerrygirl...welcome to the forum...sounds as if you have just embarked on a journey of discovery...have a great time and enjoy every minute...(don't let your male pigs get too fat...a common problem in castrated animals...) Best of luck
Regards, Farmer
:farmer: